Fact Check: Did Maryam Nawaz take a watch while President Arif Alvi kept only the Holy Quran?
On Sunday night, the Government of Pakistan uploaded the Toshakhana record from 2002 to 2023 on the Cabinet Division’s website. The data includes details of gifts received by former presidents, prime ministers, ministers, and government officials over the years.
The government’s released documents span 466 pages, listing all individuals who received gifts from Toshakhana—either by paying a certain amount or free of cost.
Despite this data being publicly available on an official government website, false information continues to circulate on social media regarding certain public figures and the gifts they allegedly received.
Did Maryam Nawaz buy a watch from Toshakhana?
Social media users have claimed that Maryam Nawaz, Senior Vice President and Chief Organizer of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), bought an expensive wristwatch from Toshakhana at a low price.
A TV anchor even alleged in his program that Maryam Nawaz purchased a Rs. 1 million watch for Rs. 45,000, and a video clip of that program was also shared on Twitter by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) account.
However, the official Toshakhana records released by the government show no mention of any watch purchased by Maryam Nawaz.
The only item listed under her name is a box of pineapples, which she retained free of cost.
Did Captain (Retd.) Safdar receive soaps from Toshakhana?
Similarly, disinformation is spreading on social media claiming that Captain (Retd.) Safdar, husband of Maryam Nawaz, received 100 bars of Lux soap from Toshakhana.
A Pakistani anchorperson, Imran Riaz Khan, also tweeted a screenshot suggesting that Captain (Retd.) Safdar obtained these soaps in December 2022.
However, Toshakhana records contain no entry under Captain (Retd.) Safdar’s name, and the screenshot being circulated on social media is fake.
Did President Arif Alvi keep only the Holy Quran?
Social media accounts associated with PTI have claimed that President Dr. Arif Alvi received gifts worth millions of rupees but deposited all of them in Toshakhana except the Holy Quran.
Yet, according to the official Toshakhana records, this claim is incorrect.
President Arif Alvi received several items, including a flower vase, a boat model, books, tea sets, ties, belts, paintings, a silver kettle, a Kalashnikov, carpets, decorative pieces, cigars, a sword, and two watches.
Among these, one Movado watch valued at Rs. 75,000 was deposited back into Toshakhana, while a Rolex watch estimated at Rs. 2.5 million was retained by paying Rs. 1.235 million.
The record also shows that on December 20, 2018, President Alvi received a rosary, pen, cufflink set, watch, ring, two perfumes, and a Holy Quran—of which he kept only the Holy Quran and returned the rest to Toshakhana.
However, the government record indicates that there are many other items that President Arif Alvi retained without payment.